Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Off The Shelf: Autumn Gatherings

Our book on review this week is Autumn Gatherings: Casual Food to Enjoy with Family and Friends by Rick Rodgers. Just out last fall, this book is filled with 160 pages of seasonal recipes ranging from appetizers and beverages to desserts.

I decided to try the Pear-Cranberry Crisp from the dessert section. The result was beyond my expectations with the sweet-tart of the carmelized cranberries melting into the perfumey pears and all covered with the buttery brown sugar and oats topping. Yes, this is a must for making this fall.

Combine the cranberries and 1 cup of the brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the cranberries burst, about 5 minutes (if using fresh berries). Pour into the prepared dish. Let stand to cool until tepid, about 15 minutes.

Mix together the pears, the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the flour, lemon juice, and spice. Pour over the cranberries and dot with the butter.

To make the topping: mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and rub everything together with your fingers until combined. Press the mixture together into a cohesive mass. Crumble in a relatively even layer over the pears. Place on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any bubbling juices).

Bake until the juices are bubbling and the topping is crisp, 50-60 minutes. Cool until warm, and serve with vanilla ice-cream.